You Must Understand the Work—Do Not Follow in Confusion!

At present there are many people who believe in a confused manner. You have too much curiosity, too much desire for blessings, and too little aspiration to seek life. People nowadays are full of enthusiasm in their belief in Jesus. Jesus is going to take them back to the heavenly home, so how can they not believe? Some people are believers their entire lives; even after having had faith for forty or fifty years, they still never tire of reading the Bible. This is because they think[a] that no matter what happens, as long as they have faith, they will get into heaven. You have followed God along this path for only a few years, yet already you have faltered; you have lost your endurance, because your desire to gain blessings is too strong. Your walking this true way is governed by your desire to obtain blessings and by your curiosity.

Why is it said that corrupt mankind is more in need of the salvation of God become flesh?

Relevant Words of God:

God’s saving of man is not done directly using the method of the Spirit and the identity of the Spirit, for His Spirit can neither be touched nor seen by man, neither can man draw near. If He tried to save man directly using the perspective of the Spirit, man would be unable to receive His salvation. If God did not put on the outward form of a created man, there would be no way for man to receive this salvation. For man has no way of approaching Him, much as no one was able to go near the cloud of Jehovah.

The Lord Jesus Himself prophesied that God would incarnate in the last days and appear as the Son of man to work

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not” (Luk 12:40).

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Mat 24:37).

The True Story Behind Work in the Age of Redemption

    My entire management plan, a plan that spans six thousand years, consists of three stages, or three ages: the Age of Law in the beginning; the Age of Grace (which is also the Age of Redemption); and the Age of Kingdom in the last days. My work in these three ages differs in content according to the nature of each age, but at each stage it accords with man’s needs—or, to be more precise, it is done according to the tricks that Satan employs in the war that I wage against it. The purpose of My work is to defeat Satan, to make manifest My wisdom and omnipotence, to expose all of Satan’s tricks, and thereby to save the entire human race, which lives under its domain. It is to show My wisdom and omnipotence while at the same time revealing the unbearable hideousness of Satan. Even more, it is to teach My creations to discriminate between good and evil, to know that I am the Ruler of all things, to see clearly that Satan is humanity’s foe, the lowest of the low, the evil one, and to tell, with absolute certainty, the difference between good and evil, truth and falsehood, holiness and filth, and what is great and what is ignoble. This way, ignorant humanity will become able to bear witness to Me that it is not I who corrupt humanity, and only I—the Lord of creation—can save humanity, can bestow upon man things for their enjoyment; and they will come to know that I am the Ruler of all things and Satan is merely one of the beings that I created and that later turned against Me. My six-thousand-year management plan is divided into three stages so as to achieve the following effect: to enable My creations to become My witnesses, to comprehend My will, and to know that I am the truth. Thus, during the initial phase of work in My six-thousand-year management plan, I did the work of the law, which was the work in which Jehovah led His people. The second stage initiated the work of the Age of Grace in the villages of Judea. Jesus represents all the work of the Age of Grace; He was incarnated in the flesh and crucified on the cross, and He also inaugurated the Age of Grace. He was crucified in order to complete the work of redemption, to end the Age of Law and begin the Age of Grace, and so He was called the “Supreme Commander,” the “Sin Offering,” the “Redeemer.” Thus the work of Jesus differed in content from the work of Jehovah, although they were the same in principle. Jehovah began the Age of Law, established the home base, that is, the point of origin, of His work on earth, and issued the commandments; these were two of His accomplishments, which represent the Age of Law. The work Jesus did in the Age of Grace was not to issue commandments but to fulfill the Commandments, thereby ushering in the Age of Grace and concluding the Age of Law that had lasted two thousand years. He was the trailblazer, who came in order to begin the Age of Grace, yet the main part of His work lay in redemption. And so His accomplishments were also twofold: opening up a new age, and completing the work of redemption through His crucifixion. Then He departed. At this point, the Age of Law came to an end and mankind entered into the Age of Grace.

Eastern Lightning | God's Utterance | You Ought to Prepare a Sufficiency of Good Deeds for Your Destination

    I have done much work among you and, of course, have made a number of utterances as well. Yet I can’t help feeling that My words and My work have not entirely fulfilled the purpose of My work in the last days. For, in the last days, My work is not for the sake of a certain person or certain people, but to demonstrate My inherent disposition. However, for a myriad of reasons—perhaps a scarcity of time or hectic schedule of work—My disposition has not enabled man to get to know Me in the slightest. Therefore I stride forward into My new plan, into My final work, to unfold a new page in My work so that all who see Me will beat upon their breast and weep and wail unceasingly on account of My existence. This is because I bring the end of mankind to the world, and from this point on, I lay bare My entire disposition before mankind, so that all who know Me and all those who do not may feast their eyes and see that I have indeed come to the human world, have come onto the earth where all things multiply. This is My plan, it is My sole “confession” since My creation of mankind. I wish that you could give your undivided attention to My every move, for My rod once again presses close to mankind, to all those who oppose Me.

It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition

    There are many things I hope for you to achieve. However, your actions and all your lives are unable to meet My demands entirely, so I have no choice but to come straight to the point and explain to you My will. Given that your discernment is poor and your appreciation is likewise poor, you are almost utterly ignorant of My disposition as well as of My substance, and thus it is a matter of urgency that I inform you about them. No matter how much you previously understood or whether you are willing to try to understand these issues, I must still explain them to you in detail. These issues are not entirely foreign to you, but you do not seem to understand or to be familiar with the meaning contained in them. Many of you have only a dim understanding, and what’s more a partial and incomplete one at that. In order to help you better practice the truth, that is, to better put My words into practice, I think it is these issues that you must first come to know. Otherwise, your faith will remain vague, hypocritical, and filled with the trappings of religion. If you do not understand the disposition of God, then it will be impossible for you to do the work you should do for Him. If you do not know the substance of God, then it will be impossible for you to show Him reverence and fear, but instead only heedless perfunctoriness and prevarication, and moreover, incorrigible blasphemy. Although understanding God’s disposition is indeed important and knowing God’s substance must not be slighted, no one has ever thoroughly examined or delved into these issues. It is plain to see that you have all dismissed the administrative decrees I have promulgated. If you do not understand the disposition of God, then you will easily offend His disposition. Such an offense is tantamount to enraging God Himself, and the ultimate fruit of your action becomes a transgression against the administrative decrees. Now you should realize that understanding God’s disposition comes with knowing His substance, and that along with understanding God’s disposition comes understanding the administrative decrees. Certainly, many of the administrative decrees touch upon the disposition of God, but His disposition has not been expressed in its entirety within them. Hence you need to go one step further in developing your understanding of God’s disposition.

Chapter 2

　　Following the undertaking of the new approach, there will be new steps in My work. As it is in the kingdom, I will do things directly through divinity, leading every step of the way, precise to the finest detail, and absolutely free of any adulteration with human intentions. The following outlines the ways of actual practice: As it is through hardship and refinement that they have earned the title of the “people,” and as they are the people of My kingdom, I must hold them to stringent requirements, which are higher than the methods of My work for previous generations. It is not only the reality of words, but even more importantly it is the reality of practice, and this must first be achieved. In all words and deeds, they must meet the standards required of the people of the kingdom, and any offenders will immediately be removed, to avoid shame coming to My name. However, those ignorant who cannot see clearly, and cannot understand are an exception. In the construction of My kingdom, pay attention to eating and drinking the words I speak, understand My wisdom, and corroborate through My work. Whoever pays mind to the words of a book that is not Mine is absolutely unwanted by Me; this is a harlot who is defiant of Me. As an apostle, one must not dwell at home for too long. If this cannot be done, I will discard and no longer use him. I do not force him. Since apostles are not at home for long, it is through spending long periods of time in the church that they are edified. Of every two assemblies of the churches, apostles must participate at least once. So, co-workers’ assemblies must become regular (co-workers’ assemblies include: all apostle assemblies, all church leader assemblies, and all assemblies for saints who have clear insight). At least some of you must attend each assembly, and apostles only pay attention to watching over the churches. The requirements previously made of saints have become more profound. For those who had committed offenses before I bore witness to My name, due to their devotion to Me, I will still use them once they have been tested by Me. However, for those who commit an offense again after My testimony and are determined to turn over a new leaf, such people only remain within the church. Still, they cannot be careless and wanton, but rather must be more constrained than others. As for those who do not mend their ways after I have uttered My voice, My Spirit will leave them immediately, and the church will have the right to carry out My judgment, and make them leave the church. This is absolute, and there can be no extra room for consideration. If one collapses in the trial, that is, he leaves, no one should pay any mind to that person, so as to avoid testing Me and allowing Satan to enter the church in madness. This is My judgment of him. Whoever does unrighteousness and acts based on their emotions will also not be numbered among My people, not just the one who defected. Another function of apostles is to focus on spreading the gospel. Of course, saints can also do this work, but they must be wise in doing so, and must refrain from stirring up trouble. The above are the current ways of practice. Also, as a reminder, you must pay attention to making your sermons more profound, so that all may enter the reality of My words. You must closely follow My words, and make it so all people may understand them clearly, and unambiguously. This is most crucial. Those among My people who harbor thoughts of betrayal must be expelled, and must not be allowed to stay long in My house, lest they bring insult to My name.

February 21, 1992

from The Word Appears in the Flesh

Recommended reading: The Principles of Seeking to Grasp God’s Will

How to Know the God on Earth

    You all wish to be rewarded before God and favored by God; everyone hopes for such things when they start believing in God, for everyone is preoccupied with the pursuit of higher things, and no one wants to fall behind others. This is just how people are. Precisely for this reason, many among you are constantly trying to curry favor with the God in heaven, yet in truth, your loyalty and candor toward God are far less than your loyalty and candor to yourselves. Why do I say this? Because I do not acknowledge your loyalty to God at all and, furthermore, because I deny the existence of the God that is in your hearts. Which is to say, the God that you worship, the vague God that you admire, does not exist at all. The reason I can say this so definitively is that you are too far from the true God. The reason for your loyalty is the idol within your hearts; as for Me, meanwhile, the God whom you look upon as neither great nor small, you merely acknowledge with words. When I say you are far from God, I mean that you are distant from the true God, while the vague God seems near at hand. When I say, “not great,” it is in reference to how the God that you believe in this day appears to merely be a person without great abilities, a person who is not very lofty. And when I say “not small,” this means that, although this person cannot summon the wind and command the rain, He is nonetheless able to call upon the Spirit of God to do work that shakes the heavens and earth, leaving people completely confounded. Outwardly, you all appear highly obedient to this Christ on earth, yet in substance, you do not have faith in Him, nor do you love Him. Which is to say, the one you truly believe in is that vague God of your own feelings, and the one you truly love is the God you yearn for night and day, yet have never seen in person. Toward this Christ, your faith is but fractional, and your love nothing. Faith means belief and trust; love means adoration and admiration in one’s heart, never parting. Yet your faith in and love of the Christ of today fall far short of this. When it comes to faith, how do you have faith in Him? When it comes to love, in what way do you love Him? You have simply no understanding of His disposition, still less do you know His substance, so how do you have faith in Him? Where is the reality of your faith in Him? How do you love Him? Where is the reality of your love for Him?

God's Utterance | Corrupt Man Is Incapable of Representing God

    Man has been living under the shroud of the influence of darkness, held in bondage to Satan’s influence with no escape. And the disposition of man, after it has undergone processing by Satan, is becoming increasingly corrupt. One could say that man has always lived with his corrupt satanic disposition, unable truly to love God. This being so, if man wishes to love God, he must be stripped of his self-rightness, self-importance, arrogance, conceit, and the like, all of which belong to Satan’s disposition. Otherwise, the love of man is an impure love, a love of Satan, and one which absolutely cannot receive the approval of God. Without being directly perfected, dealt with, broken, pruned, disciplined, chastened, or refined by the Holy Spirit, no one is able truly to love God. If you say that a part of your disposition represents God and therefore you are able truly to love God, then you are one who speaks words of arrogance and are a preposterous man. And men like this are the archangel! The inborn nature of man is unable directly to represent God. Man has to cast off his inborn nature through the perfection of God and then, only by caring for God’s will, fulfilling God’s will, and furthermore undergoing the work of the Holy Spirit, can his living out be approved by God. No one who lives in the flesh is able directly to represent God, unless he be a man used by the Holy Spirit. However, even for a person like this, his disposition and what he lives out cannot be said completely to represent God; one can only say that what he lives out is directed by the Holy Spirit. The disposition of such a man cannot represent God.

Eastern Lightning | God's word | To Whom Are You Loyal?

    

Right now, each day you live through is crucial, and it is of the utmost importance to your destination and your fate, so you must cherish everything you have today, and treasure each minute that passes.

Chapter 1

　　Do those who witness My words really accept them? Do you really know Me? Have you truly learned obedience? Do you sincerely expend yourselves for Me? Have you really borne strong, unyielding witness to Me in the face of the great red dragon? Does your devotion truly humiliate the great red dragon? Only through the trial of My words can I achieve My goal of purifying the church and choosing those who truly love Me. For how else could anyone understand Me? Who can understand My majesty, My wrath, and My wisdom through My words? I will finish what I have started, but still it is I who measures the hearts of men. In truth, no man fully understands Me, so I guide them with words, and lead them into a new era this way. In the end I will complete all of My work through My words, and bring those who truly love Me back to My kingdom, to live before My throne. The situation is not what it once was, and My work has entered a new starting point. That being so, there will be a new approach: Those who read My word and accept it as their very life are the people of My kingdom. Since they are in My kingdom, they are My people in the kingdom. Because they are guided by My words, although they are referred to as My people, this title is not at all inferior to being called My “sons.” As My people, all must be faithful in My kingdom and fulfill their duties, and those who offend My administrative decrees must receive My punishment. This is My warning to all.

God's Utterance | The Mystery of the Incarnation (2)

    At that time when Jesus worked in Judea, He did so openly, but now, I work and speak among you in secret. The unbelievers are completely unaware of it. My work among you is closed to those on the outside. These words, these chastisements and judgments, are known only to all of you and no others. All of this work is carried out in your midst and opened up only to you; none among the unbelievers knows of this, for the time has not yet come. These people here are near to being made complete after enduring chastisements, but those on the outside know nothing of this. This work is much too hidden! To them, God become flesh is hidden, but to those in this stream, one can say that He is open. Although in God all is open, all is revealed, and all is set free, this is only true for those who believe in Him; as far as the rest, the unbelievers, are concerned, nothing is made known. The work being carried out here now is strictly closed in order to keep them from knowing. Should they become aware of this work, then all they would do is condemn it and subject it to persecution. They would not believe in it. To work in the nation of the great red dragon, this most backward of places, is no easy task. If this work were to be put out into the open, it would be impossible to continue. This stage of work simply cannot be carried out in this place. If this work were to be carried out in the open, how could they allow it to go forward? Would this not put the work under even greater risk? If this work were not concealed, but rather carried out as in the time of Jesus, when He spectacularly healed the sick and cast out demons, then would it not have long ago been “taken prisoner” by the devils? Would they be able to tolerate the existence of God? If I were to now enter into the halls to preach and lecture man, then would I not have long ago been dashed to pieces? And if this had happened, how could My work have continued to be carried out? The reason that no signs and wonders are openly manifested at all is for the sake of concealment. So, to unbelievers, My work cannot be seen, known, or discovered. If this stage of work were to be done in the same manner as that of Jesus in the Age of Grace, it could not be so steady as it now is. So, to work secretly in this way is of benefit to you and to the work as a whole. When God’s work on earth comes to an end, that is, when this secret work concludes, then this stage of work will explode into the open. All will know that there are a group of overcomers in China; all will know that God become flesh is in China and that His work has come to an end. Only then will it dawn on man: Why is it that China has yet to show decline or collapse? It turns out that God is personally carrying out His work in China and has perfected a group of people into overcomers.

God's word | The Path … (8)

    When God comes to the earth to mingle with mankind, to live with them, it is not just for one or two days. Maybe in all this time people have more or less known God, and maybe they have gained significant insights of serving God, and are very seasoned in their belief in God. Whatever the case is, people pretty much understand God’s disposition, and the expressions of all sorts of human dispositions are really varied. The way I see it, people’s various expressions are adequate for God to use as specimens, and their mental activities are adequate for Him to reference. Maybe this is one aspect in which mankind cooperates with God, it is mankind’s unwitting cooperation with God, so that this performance directed by God is colorful and lifelike, very vivid. I am saying these things to My brothers and sisters as the general director of this play—every single one of us can speak to our thoughts and feelings after acting this out, and chat about how each of us experiences our lives within this play. We may as well have an entirely new kind of symposium to open up our hearts and talk about our performing arts, see how God guides each individual so that in the next rendition we are able to express a higher level of our art and each play out our own role to the greatest extent possible, not disappointing God. I hope that My brothers and sisters can take this seriously—no one can overlook it because playing a part well isn’t something that can be achieved in one or two days. It requires that we experience life and go deeper into our real lives over the long term, and have practical experience of various types of lives. Only then can we go up on stage. I am full of hope for My brothers and sisters, and I believe that you are not disheartened or discouraged, and no matter what God does, you are like a pot of fire—you are never tepid and you can persist until the end, until God’s work is fully revealed, and until the play that God directs comes to its final conclusion. I have no other requirements of you. All I hope for is that you can continue to hold on, that you are not anxious for results, that you cooperate with Me so that the work that I should do is done well, and that no one creates interruptions or disturbances. When this portion of the work is completed, God will reveal everything to you. After My work has been completed, I will present your credit in front of God to give account to Him. Isn’t that better? We can help each other achieve our own aims. Isn’t this a perfect solution for everyone? This is a difficult time that requires you to pay a price. Because I am currently the director, I hope that none of you are irritated. This is the work that I am doing. Perhaps there will be one day when I switch to a more appropriate “work unit” and I no longer make things difficult for you. I will show to you whatever you are willing to see, and I will also fulfill you in whatever you are willing to hear. But not now—this is the work for today and I cannot give free rein to your characters and allow you to do whatever you want to. That way, My work would not be easy to do. To be honest, that wouldn’t bear any fruit and it wouldn’t be beneficial for you. So now you need to “suffer hardships,” and when the day comes that this stage of My work has been completed I will be free. I will not bear such a heavy burden, and I will accede to whatever you ask from Me; as long as it is beneficial for your lives I will fulfill your requests. I have now taken up a heavy responsibility. I cannot go against the commands of God the Father, and I cannot disrupt the plans for My work. I cannot manage My personal affairs through My business affairs. I hope you can all understand and forgive Me because everything that I do is according to the intention of God the Father. I do whatever He has Me do no matter what He wants, and I am not willing to provoke His anger or His wrath. I only do what I should do. So on behalf of God the Father, I advise you to endure a little while longer. No one need worry. After I have completed what I need to do, you can do whatever you want and see whatever you like, but I must complete the work that I need to.

God's Utterance | The Path … (5)

    It used to be that no one knew the Holy Spirit, and they particularly did not know what the path of the Holy Spirit is. That’s why people always made fools of themselves in front of God. It can be said that nearly all of the people who believe in God do not know the Spirit, but just have a confused kind of belief. It’s clear from this that people do not understand God, and even though they say they believe in Him, in terms of the essence of it, based on their actions they believe in themselves, not God. From My personal actual experience, I can see that God witnesses God in the flesh, and from the outside, all people are forced to acknowledge His witness, and it can just barely be said that they believe that the Spirit of God is completely without error. However, I say that what people believe in is not this person and it particularly is not God’s Spirit, but they believe in their own feeling. Isn’t that just believing in themselves? These words I say are all true. It’s not labeling people, but I do need to clarify one thing—that people could be brought to this day, whether they have clarity or they are confused, this is all done by the Holy Spirit and it is not something that humans can dictate. This is an example of what I’ve mentioned before about the Holy Spirit forcing people’s belief. This is the way that the Holy Spirit works, and it is one path that the Holy Spirit takes. No matter whom people believe in in essence, the Holy Spirit forcefully gives people a type of feeling so that they believe in the God in their own heart. Isn’t this the kind of belief that you have? Don’t you feel that your belief in God is a strange thing? Don’t you think that it’s a strange thing that you are unable to escape from this stream? Haven’t you put any effort into pondering this? Isn’t this the greatest sign and wonder? Even if you’ve had the urge to escape many times, there’s always a great life force that attracts you and makes you reluctant to walk away. And every time you encounter this you are always choked up and sobbing, and you don’t know what to do. And there are some of you who try to leave, but when you try to go, it’s like a knife to your heart, and it’s as if your soul was taken from you by a ghost on earth so that your heart is restless and without peace. After that, you can’t help but steel yourself and return to God…. Haven’t you had this experience? I believe that the young brothers and sisters who are able to open up their hearts will say: “Yes! I’ve had so many of these experiences; I am so ashamed to think of them!” In My own daily life I am always happy to see My young brothers and sisters as My intimates because they are full of innocence—they are pure and so lovable. It’s as if they are My very own companions. This is why I’m always looking for an opportunity to bring all of My intimates together, to talk about our ideals and our plans. May God’s will be carried out in us so that we are all like flesh and blood, without barriers and without distance. May we all pray to God: “Oh God! If it is Your will, we plead with You to provide us with an appropriate environment so that we may all realize the wishes in our hearts. May You have mercy on those of us who are young and lacking in reason, so that we may exert every drop of strength in our hearts!” I believe that this must be God’s will because long ago, I made the following supplication in front of God: “Father! We on earth call out to You at all times, and hope that Your will may be completed soon on earth. I am willing to seek Your will. May You do what You want to, and complete what You have entrusted to Me as soon as possible. As long as Your will can be accomplished as soon as possible, I am even willing for You to open up a new path among us. My only hope is that Your work can be completed soon. I believe that no rules can hold Your work back!” This is the work that God is doing now. Haven’t you seen the path that the Holy Spirit is taking? When I encounter older brothers and sisters, there’s always a feeling of oppression that I can’t put My finger on. It’s only when I’m with them that I can see that they reek of society, and their religious notions, experiences with handling things, their ways of speaking, the words they use, etc., are all exasperating. It’s as if they are full of wisdom and I always stay far away from them because personally, My philosophy of life is very lacking. When I am with them I always feel exhausted and overtaxed, and sometimes it becomes so serious, so oppressive that I can hardly breathe. So at these perilous times, God gives Me the best way out. Perhaps it’s My own misconception. I only care about what benefits God; carrying out God’s will is most important. I keep far away from these people, and if God requires Me to deal with them, then I obey. It’s not at all that they are detestable, but it’s that their “wisdom,” notions, and philosophies of life are so irritating. I’m here to complete what God has entrusted Me with, not to learn from their experiences with handling affairs. I remember that God once told Me the following: “On the earth, seek the will of the Father and complete what He has entrusted You with. All else is irrelevant for You.” When I think of this I feel a bit of peace. This is because I always feel that earthly matters are too complicated and that I can’t wrap My head around them—I never know what to do. So I don’t know how many times I’ve been so distraught for this and have hated mankind—why are people so complicated? What’s wrong with being a little simpler? Trying to be clever—why bother? When I deal with people for the most part it’s on the basis of God’s commission for Me, and even though there have been a few times that this wasn’t the case, who can possibly know what’s hidden deep in My heart?

God's Utterance | The Path … (3)

    In My own life, I’m always willing to give Myself over to God entirely, body and mind. This way, there is no blame on My conscience and I can gain a little bit of peace. A person who pursues life must first give their heart over to God entirely. This is a precondition. I’d like for My brothers and sisters to pray with Me to God: “Oh God! May Your Spirit in heaven bestow grace upon people on the earth so that My heart may fully turn to You, that My Spirit may be moved by You, and that I may see Your loveliness in My heart and My Spirit, so that those on the earth are blessed to see Your beauty. God! May Your Spirit once again move our spirits so that our love is long-lasting and never changes!” What God does in all of us is to first test our hearts, and when we pour our hearts into Him, it is then that He begins to move our spirits. It is only in the spirit that one can see God’s loveliness, supremacy, and greatness. This is the path of the Holy Spirit in human beings. Do you have this kind of life? Have you experienced a life of the Holy Spirit? Has your spirit been moved by God? Have you seen how the Holy Spirit works in people? Have you given over your heart to God entirely? When you fully give your heart to God, you are able to directly experience the life of the Holy Spirit, and His work can be continually revealed to you. At that time, you can become someone who is used by the Holy Spirit. Are you willing to become that kind of person? In My memory, when I was moved by the Holy Spirit and first gave My heart to God, I fell down in front of Him and cried out: “Oh God! It is You who has opened up My eyes so that I may understand Your salvation. I am willing to give My heart to You entirely, and all I ask is that Your will be done. All I wish is that My heart gain Your approval in Your presence, and to carry out Your will.” That prayer is most unforgettable for Me; I was deeply moved, and I wept bitterly in front of God. That was My first successful prayer in God’s presence as a person who has been saved, and it was My first aspiration. I was frequently moved by the Holy Spirit after that. Have you had this kind of experience? How has the Holy Spirit worked in you? I think that people who seek to love God will all have this kind of experience, to greater or lesser degrees, but people forget about them. If someone says they haven’t had this kind of experience, that proves that they have not yet been saved and are still under the domain of Satan. The work that the Holy Spirit carries out in everyone is the path of the Holy Spirit, and it is also the path of someone who believes in and seeks God. The first step of work that the Holy Spirit performs on people is that of moving their spirits. After that, they will begin to love God and pursue life; all of those on this path are within the stream of the Holy Spirit. These are not only the dynamics of God’s work in mainland China, but also in the entire universe. He does this on all of mankind. If someone has not been moved even once, this shows that they are outside of this stream of recovery. I pray to God unceasingly in My heart that He may move all people, that everyone under the sun may be moved by Him and walk this path. Perhaps this is some minuscule request I have of God, but I believe that He will do this. I hope that all of My brothers and sisters will pray for this, that God’s will may be done, and that His work may conclude soon so that His Spirit in heaven may be at rest. This is My own little hope.

God's word | The Path … (2)

    Perhaps our brothers and sisters have a bit of an outline of the sequence, the steps, and the methods of God’s work in mainland China, but I always feel it’s better to have a recollection or a little summary for our brothers and sisters. I’m just using this opportunity to say a bit of what’s on My heart; I’m not talking about anything outside of this work. I hope that the brothers and sisters can understand My mood, and I also humbly request that all those who read My words understand and forgive My small stature, that My life experience is truly inadequate, and that I truly cannot keep My head high in front of God. However, I always feel that these are only objective reasons. In short, no matter what, no people, events, or things can hinder our fellowship in God’s presence, and I hope that our brothers and sisters are able to work harder in front of God along with Me. I would like to offer up the following prayer: “Oh God! Please have mercy on us so that I and My brothers and sisters may struggle together under the dominion of our common ideals, be faithful to You until death, and never go back on it!” These words are the determination I set in front of God, but it could also be said that it’s My own motto as a man of flesh who is used by God. I have shared this in fellowship with the brothers and sisters by My side many times, and I have given this to those alongside Me as a message. I don’t know what people think of it, but no matter what, I believe that they not only have an aspect of subjective effort, but even more, they also contain an aspect of objective theory. Because of this, it’s possible that some people have certain opinions, and you can take these words as your motto and see how great your drive for loving God will be. Some people will develop a certain notion when they read these words, and think: “How could such an everyday, normal thing to say give people a great drive to love God until death? And it has nothing to do with the topic of what we’re discussing, ‘The Path.’” I acknowledge that these words don’t have a great deal of charm, but I have always thought that it can lead people onto the right track, and allow them to undergo all kinds of trials along the path of belief in God without losing heart or turning back. This is why I always treat this as My motto, and I hope that people can carefully think this over. However, My intention isn’t to force everyone to accept My own views—this is just a suggestion. No matter what other people think of Me, I think that God will understand the inner dynamics of every single one of us. God is constantly working on every single one of us, and His work is tireless. This is because we were all born in the country of the great red dragon—this is why He works this way in us. Those who were born in the country of the great red dragon have the fortune to gain this kind of work of the Holy Spirit. As one of them, I greatly feel the dearness, respectability, as well as the loveliness of God. This is God caring for us. Such a backward, conservative, feudalistic, superstitious, and depraved empire of the proletariat gains this kind of work from God. From this, it’s clear that we, this group of people in the final age, are very blessed. I believe that all of the brothers and sisters whose spiritual eyes are opened to see this work will all weep tears of joy for this, and at that time, won’t you express this to God by dancing with joy? Won’t you offer up the song in your heart to God? At that time won’t you show your resolve to God and make another plan before Him? I think that all of these are things that a proper believer in God should do. As human beings, I believe that every one of us should have some kind of expression in front of God. This is what a person who has feelings should do. Looking at the caliber of everyone among us as well as our birthplace, it shows how much humiliation God endured in order to come to our midst. Although we have some knowledge of God inside of us, based on what we do know, God is so great, so supreme, and so honorable, it is enough to know how great His suffering has been among mankind by comparison. But this is still a vague thing to say, and people can only treat it as words and doctrines. This is because those in our midst are too numb and dull-witted. I can only put more effort into explaining this issue to all those brothers and sisters who would accept it so that our spirits can be moved by the Spirit of God. May God open our spiritual eyes so that we may see the price God has paid, the effort He has made, and the energy He has expended for us.

God's will | VI Classic Words on God’s Disposition and What He Has and Is

    1. Man’s life originates from God, the existence of the heaven is because of God, and the existence of the earth stems from the power of God’s life. No object possessed of vitality can transcend the sovereignty of God, and no thing with vigor can break away from the ambit of God’s authority. In this way, regardless of who they are, everyone must submit under the dominion of God, everyone must live under God’s command, and no one can escape from His control.

2. Why Is God Called by Different Names in Different Ages?

Relevant Words of God:

    In each age, God does new work and is called by a new name; how could He do the same work in different ages? How could He cling to the old? The name of Jesus was taken for the work of redemption, so would He still be called by the same name when He returns in the last days? Would He still do the work of redemption? Why is it that Jehovah and Jesus are one, yet They are called by different names in different ages? Is it not because the ages of Their work are different? Could a single name represent God in His entirety? In this way, God must be called by a different name in a different age, must use the name to change the age and represent the age, for no one name can fully represent God Himself. And each name can only represent God’s disposition during a certain age and needs only to represent His work. Therefore, God can choose whatever name befits His disposition to represent the entire age.

God's voice | V Classic Words on the Relationship Between Each Stage of God’s Work and the Name of God

    1. The work done by God Himself in each age contains the expression of His true disposition, and His name and the work He does change with the age; they are all new. During the Age of Law, the work of guiding mankind was done under the name of Jehovah, and the first stage of work was carried out on earth. The work of this stage was to build the temple and the altar, and to use the law to guide the people of Israel and work among them. By guiding the people of Israel, He established a base for His work on earth. From this base, He expanded His work beyond Israel, which is to say that, starting from Israel, He extended His work outward, so that later generations gradually came to know that Jehovah was God, and that Jehovah had created the heavens and earth and all things, had made all creatures. He spread His work through the people of Israel. The land of Israel was the first holy place of Jehovah’s work on earth, and God’s earliest work on earth was throughout the land of Israel. That was the work of the Age of Law. … During the Age of Grace, the name of God was Jesus, which means that God was a God who saved man, and that He was a compassionate and loving God. God was with man. His love, His compassion, and His salvation accompanied each and every person. Man could only gain peace and joy, receive His blessing, receive His vast and numerous graces, and receive His salvation if man accepted the name of Jesus and accepted His presence. Through the crucifixion of Jesus, all those who followed Him received salvation and were forgiven their sins. During the Age of Grace, the name of God was Jesus. In other words, the work of the Age of Grace was done principally under the name of Jesus. During the Age of Grace, God was called Jesus. He did new work beyond the Old Testament, and His work ended with the crucifixion, and that was the entirety of His work. Therefore, during the Age of Law Jehovah was the name of God, and in the Age of Grace the name of Jesus represented God. During the last days, His name is Almighty God—the Almighty, and He uses His power to guide man, conquer man, and gain man, and in the end, conclude the age. In every age, in every stage of His work, God’s disposition is evident.

1. Why Does God Take Names, and Can One Name Represent the Entirety of God?

Relevant Words of Almighty God:

    Could the name of Jesus, “God with us,” represent God’s disposition in its entirety? Could it fully articulate God? If man says that God can only be called Jesus, and may not have any other name because God cannot change His disposition, then such words are blasphemy! Do you believe that the name Jesus, God with us, can represent God in His entirety? God can be called many names, but among these many names, there is not one which can encapsulate all that God has, there is not one which can fully represent God. And so God has many names, but these many names cannot fully articulate God’s disposition, for God’s disposition is too rich, and extends beyond the knowledge of man. The language of man is incapable of fully encapsulating God. Man has but a limited vocabulary with which to encapsulate all that he knows of God’s disposition: great, honorable, wondrous, unfathomable, supreme, holy, righteous, wise, and so on. Too many words! Such a limited vocabulary is incapable of describing what little man has witnessed of God’s disposition. Later on, many people added more words to better describe the fervor in their hearts: God is too great! God is too holy! God is too lovely! Today, sayings such as these have reached their peak, yet man is still incapable of clearly expressing God. And so, for man, God has many names, yet He has no one name, and that is because God’s being is too bountiful, and the language of man is too inadequate. One particular word or name is powerless to represent God in His entirety. So can God take one fixed name? God is so great and holy, so why do you not permit Him to change His name in each new age? As such, in each age that God personally does His own work, He uses a name that befits the age to encapsulate the work that He does. He uses this particular name, one that possesses the significance of the age, to represent His disposition in that age. God uses the language of man to express His own disposition. Even then, many people who have had spiritual experiences and have personally seen God still feel that one particular name is incapable of representing God in His entirety—and what a pity that is! So man does not call God by any name, and simply call Him “God.” The heart of man seems full of love, yet it also seems beset with contradictions, for man does not know how to explain God. What God is is too bountiful, there is simply no way of describing it. There is no single name that can summarize God’s disposition, and there is no single name that can describe all that God has and is. If someone asks Me, “Exactly what name do You use?” I will tell them, “God is God!” Is that not the best name for God? Is it not the best encapsulation of God’s disposition? So why spend so much effort seeking the name of God? Why think so hard, going without food and sleep, for the sake of a name? The day will arrive when God is not called Jehovah, Jesus, or the Messiah—He will simply be called the Creator. At that time, all the names that He took on earth shall come to an end, for His work on earth will have come to an end, after which He shall have no name. … You should know that God originally had no name. He only took on one, or two, or many names because He had work to do and had to manage mankind. Whatever name He is called by, isn’t it freely chosen by Him? Does He need you, a creature, to decide it? The name by which God is called is according to what man can apprehend and the language of man, but this name cannot be encapsulated by man. You can only say that there is a God in heaven, that He is called God, that He is God Himself with great power, too wise, too exalted, too wondrous, too mysterious, too almighty, and you can say no more; that is all you know. In this way, can the name of Jesus alone represent God Himself?